New Beginnings
by likekattheboss
Summary: When you think the story of human testing is over, this happens. New tests, new friends, new opinions and old enimies in addition to a whole bunch of the new lunatic's unanswered questions. Rated T because I'm one of those paranoid authors. Plus, T stands for Tremendous, therefore think of it as a guideline of EPICNESS!
1. 1- The Girl

Chapter One.

_I can see outside. I can use a satellite camera to see her. She is alone. Her hair was tied up into a messy ponytail. If it wasn't for the orange hair I would have thought her to be a little 'Lunatic', one who is not mute, and hopefully not as dangerous. She crosses the nearby busy road tentatively, then breaks into a steady run. She is tall, and I watch as she sprints around a corner and dashes away. I like her: she has potential._

"Orange. Blue. Get ready. I think we've found a new Test Subject."

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hi FanFiction! Firstly, sorry this chapter is so small. It's more of a prologue than a proper chapter. They will be longer- promise! This is my first story, so no rude flames please or they will be used to bake [garbles] cake. :3**


	2. 2- The Confused Test Subject

Chapter 2

_Oh God... Where am I?_ I look around in hope that I'll remember. Nope. Still nothing. Beige palm-tree wallpaper covered one wall, the others painted a light beigey-cream colour. _I hate beige. What's the point of it anyway? _I'm in bed. It's beige too. Too much beige. Too dull. I don't think my brain can handle it.

"Hello, and again, welcome to the Aperture Science Computer-Aided Enrichment Centre," says a voice. It was female and smooth, yet auto-tuned at the same time. Much like those text-to-speach stuff you find online. It seemed calm- TOO calm for my liking, and now I'm scared. "We hope your brief detention in the Relaxation Vault was a pleasant one."

"Who are you?" I ask. I sounded like a baby, but I wanted to know.

"Your specimen has been processed and we are now ready to begin the test proper."

"I _said_ 'who are you?'" I respond, my voice a little on edge.

"Testing will begin and the portal will open in three, two, one."

"Wha-" I'm not sure how to describe what happens, but let's just say it was kinda scary, yet beautiful at the same time. I can see some sort of miniature black-hole lined with some sort of orangey fiery thing. I tentatively step inside, my eyes closed tightly, as if that was going to make everything better. Well, it won't. I know. I- wait. I can't remember before now. It's all some kind of blur. I know something is there, but it is locked away in the back of my head, and I can't reach it. God, what was I like? Who was I? "I'm through." I mutter, annoyed.

"Good." So she CAN hear me.

"Now will you tell me who you are?" I feel like screaming. You have no idea what this feels like! You can't remember who you are, and you wake up in a colourless hotel room!

"GLaDOS." she tells me, with a hint of venom in her voice.

"Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System." I whisper.

Where did that thought come from? Why did I say that?

"How did you know?" asks a confused and slightly nervous GLaDOS.

"No idea." I reply, honestly. If that was her name, that would imply that she is AI- Artificial Intelligence. She can't be. I just- can't- can't- even.

If she IS what I think she is then I'm in a whole lot of trouble. She is the one thing I remember, and things are going to get worse.


	3. The Dream

Yes. GLaDOS is who I think she is. And that's _infinitely_ bad.

I had a dream about the [REDACTED] of [REDACTED] 1985, The First Annual Aperture Science Bring Your Daughter To Work Day.

_She flooded the halls of Aperture with neurotoxin, leaving a handful of people left out of the thousands that came._

_One girl stood out. She was about five at the time, and I looked up to her. She made a potato battery (not her problem if a moron orders a googolplex of potatoes) and she was either American/Japanese. She had dark brown hair in a quick ponytail and beige-ish, spot free skin. If I didn't know better I would have thought her to be a supermodel.  
_

_She was one of those still alive in that dream, her and a few scientists. I remember they had their brains wiped after the event, to prevent them from spreading rumours._

A lot of my questions will go unanswered in this _death trap, _my only option is to play Her game, but I don't want to. GLaDOS can kill me, if she wants, but I am not playing along. I'm not going to let her. I won't do it. I won't. Never. Never. _Never_. She can't get me to test. She WON'T. I don't care anymore. I will not let her test.

"I DON'T CARE." I yell, tears rolling down my eyes, "I don't want to test."

"You have to. There will be cake." GLaDOS tells me, annoyed.

"I don't have to." I tell her, then point to some scrappy drawings on the wall,"Plus, you honestly couldn't have made it any more obvious that the cake is a lie."

That was her last straw. A claw came down from the ceiling and grabed me. Bad things happen when you get cocky.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yes, this chapter is small. I know. I'm still new, so no flaming! Cake will be made! You have been warned.**

**I just want to say a HUGE thank you to TopHatRose for being my first beta reader/editor and I really appreciate it! :) Yay!**


	4. 4- The Robot

Chapter Four

The claw dragged me upwards with a firm yet gentle grip. _Why did I get cocky? Nothing good ever happens when you get cocky._ I regret the smart remarks I made and I kick and scream in my frustration, trying to fall, not caring if I get hurt. I just want to go.

You know, I've only now noticed what I'm wearing. Because I have an easily distracted brain. Only now that I am looking down. An orange jumpsuit. Hmm.. I love orange... Oh, and the boots- Now I've noticed them I've realised how they are _squeezing_. It hurts! They are on so tight that I'm sure you'd have to cut my legs off to remove them.

The claw lets go and I suddenly fall to the floor of a new room. I honestly need to start paying attention. I hit the ground with a thud. Oh. That didn't hurt. I was like 20 feet high how am I- long fall boots. Duh. More like long fall _high heels_. Why? Why high heels when they are bad for you anyway? Like falling is going to make that better.

Oh, right, paying attention. I forgot. Already. Ok- _OMMIGODOMMIGODOMMIGOD-WHY THE HECK DID I PAY ATTENTION! I REALLY WISH I HADN'T._

"Hello," says the- let me see- _40 foot robot hanging from the darn ceiling_! It had some sort of glowy light thingy as an eye, and a silver-ish faceplate. It's massive body curved as it hung, and looked a bit like an upside down table light, from a distance, but with 100x more cables. "Nice to see you in person. After two minutes and forty three point three five seconds of having to put up with you." I think I found GLaDOS.

I squeak. In terror. I could err, you know, _possibly die_, from this experience.

I laugh nervously, "Yeah, about that-" I cut off and stare hard at her. Why does she seem so familiar? I look at her orangey-yellow optic, studying her, hoping to remember her. No, not a clue.

"Why are you doing that?" she asks. Honestly, how does she always stay calm?

I shake my head slightly, attempting to shake the thought away, but it clings to my mind and it won't leave me alone.

"How come you haven't you killed me-" Holy &amp;#¥. Why am I giving her ideas? I can be really stupid, sometimes.

"I can't believe you are encouraging me. Look, today is your lucky day. On any other day you'd be DEAD now, only I need you to test. Almost everyone else IS dead, so I will refrain from disposing of your overweight, easily HURT body."

Should I be offended?

"HEY!" I cry, "I am NOT fat."

I hear an electric noise which sounds to me like GLaDOS has a dirty mouth (giggles because I'm VERY immature) and that was some sort of censoring device. I wish I could wash her circuits with soap. . Actually, no, as I wouldn't be able to escape. She is the central core.

I continue staring. Wait. No glasses. Huh? When did I loose those? Paying attention. Really need to work on that. Umm... Ok.

GLaDOS. Right. Back to that. I'm in pretty hot water right now. Still staring. Like an idiot. Why do I remember her? I snap back to reality.

"Tests... Got distracted. I'm going to say yes because I'm scared to say no."

"What a shame. I'd just finished warming up the neurotoxin generator. But, if you insist."

Aaand- here comes the claw. Just fan-spastic.


	5. 5- The Tests And 'Silly Testing Hazards'

Chapter Five

I'm thrown into an enclosed space lined with large, white panels. It looks new: no blood stains, dirt or dust. The floor is made up out of the white panels too. Dull. A rather large sign flashes up with 01, and 1/19 is written in a small font underneath. I'm guessing the simple pictures underneath are some silly testing hazards. Probably going to kill me of I don't pay attention, but they are still silly testing hazards. Anyway, safety is overrated. Ish.

"Oh. Look. A conveniently placed button." I say with a hint of sarcasm, walking over to a small button that lay on a stand in the middle of the room. I walk over to it, then smack it. Hard. It sparks.

"The button is broken. You really are violent, aren't you? Let me fix that." GLaDOS tells me in her neutral, insulting tone. A claw thing comes down and replaces the button. I laugh. Two seconds, and I've broken something already? New record! I push the button a bit more carefully. A sealed door opens, revealing an elevator. One down, 18 to go! Not like I'm happy or anything. I'm annoyed to be testing in the first place.

The next chamber's safety panel lights up. Oh. Falling cubes. Nice. A bigger button lies on the floor. God, it's huge! I step on it. The door then opens and a cube drops from the ceiling onto a raised panel.

GLaDOS babbles on about it being a 'Super Colliding Super Button, (which is probably the most stupid name I have ever heard) and something called an 'Aperture Science Weighted Storage Cube' and it's ability to survive up to 3000 degrees Kelvin.

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever." I say, not paying attention. A machine shoots an orange portal near the cube. No blue portal though. In the middle of the test chamber I can see something on a stand. Curious, I pick it up. Man, this thing is heavy. It looks like a black rod, with some sort of white shells covering the device. I guess it is where you put your hands. There are three black claws with tiny red lights poking out if the end, with thick wires that curl into the larger shell.

"This is the Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device." lectures GLaDOS. Long name, then. I'll call it... ASHPOD. Don't know what the O stands for. Just easier to say, I guess... So it's basically a portal gun. Coooool, "The portals have been proven safe, however the device has not." they never are... "Do not touch the operational end of the device. Do not look directly at the operational end of the device. Do not submerge the operational end of the device in any liquid, and under no circumstances should you-" Oh great- she has to short out. I bet she has to say these things to EVERY. DARN. TEST SUBJECT. Probably by protocol. I put my right hand under the gun. There is a vertical handle, which feels like a metal 'mug handle' and my hand can make out a switch and a trigger. I flick the switch one way, and hit the trigger. A firework looking thing shoots out and spreads across the white panel I shot it at. Oooh. Blue portal. Pretty! I walk through the portals and I can see the cube- it's not that nice, but, then again, GLaDOS designed it. Well, if it can survive 3000 degrees Kelvin, the metal must be strong. Which means it must be heavy. And it is called a WEIGHTED storage cube. What does the other switch do? I aim at the cube. Nothing. I lift the gun to aim higher, but the cube follows, hovering in mid air. It stays floating as I hop through the portals to the button. Soo... It's a gravity field, then. Impressive.

"Note the Material Emancipation Grill covering the exit. The Material Emancipation Grill will fizzle any unauthorised equipment that passes through it, for example, the Weighted Storage Cube." Yes. It's _DEFINITELY_ protocol. Why would _she_ help _me_? On purpose? I hope it's safe, I think as I tentatively step through it. Oh, I'm alright. I hop into the elevator, and I'm ready to leave the memory behind.

The next room is not a regular test chamber. It is still the same white panels, but it is empty. Nothing. No button. No exit. No cube.

There is a loud bang.

_Darkness_.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry if I messed up GLaDOS' lines a bit. I did this all from memory. Oh, and it was 21:20 when I wrote this, so it was late to be creative and my brain was half-asleep. :3 Oh well.**

**"Neurotoxin Generator online." $#*+. Got to fix this. Immediately. So- laters! =^^=**

**P.S. Thanks LOADS to TopHatRose! You are amazing at editing and I really appreciate it! :3**


	6. 6- The Dreaded Experiment

It's pitch black apart from two lights. I can feel something cold near my neck, and I flinch. Whatever it is, I'm in Aperture so I know it can't be good. Another cold thing on my shoulder. Then some beeps. And a weird noise. The cold things begin to feel like hands, and they tighten their grasp. Then I realise. I remember.

The lights. The lights are orange and blue. The different shaped hands. Oh my God: Orange and Blue. Orange AND Blue. P-Body and Atlas. I REMEMBER them. But I don't know where from! I HATE this feeling! They move slowly, but I can't escape. They gently push me, and I am having a whopping great panic attack, trying not to let GLaDOS find out that I'm scared. She'd laugh. Or record me. Then laugh.

They lower me onto a chair and I can feel something restraining me. The lights flash on with a bang, and I'm temporarily blinded. Oh. I'm in what looks like a testing room. But with computers covering the walls and some sleek white figure with a red optic mounted on three frail legs with a childish voice.  
"If I were the glass I'd have to fly."  
"What?" I question. I am genuinely confused.  
"Cut me from the line."  
"What does that even mean?"  
"I see stars through me."  
"I-I don't know how-"  
"Silent mechanical heart beats until I disappear." Ok, that one I understand. I think. It sounds cut to meeeeee- ohhelpmehelpmehelpme!

A powerful wave of pain strikes my body like lightning and pulses through my veins. I'm sure I'm going to die now... The effect of the shock slowly wears off, and my eyes are adjusting to the light. The pain is slowly draining my energy. I feel too weak to fight it. Some of the computers flicker on and off, taunting me.  
"You monster." I say, but my voice brakes and turns into a croaky whisper. The pain is still dancing in me. I want to cry. Then something happens. The intercom sparks to life and a quiet static noise begins, throbbing like the feeling in my body. I can hear her voice. I hate her.  
"Why can I not track your name?"  
"What?" I ask, my voice becoming less croaky but more like a whisper, "Does that have anything to do with the fact that you have found a new killing method and you are trying it out on me?" By the time that question was over my voice had faded to a point that you could barely hear me if you strained your ears.  
"Save it." she tells me.  
"I'm not saving anything." my voice slowly coming back.  
"Neurotoxin Generator online." announces a new voice from the intercom. This is NOT good.  
"SAVING IT!" I cry quickly. Not taking any risks here. I'm happy with my life! Just sayin'!  
"Orange, Blue, hurry up with the _experiment_." back to GLaDOS. Yay(!) The way she says _experiment_ makes me fill sick. Especially how slow she is saying it.  
"Nonononononononononono!" I scream as I can hear a bang behind me.  
"This test does not require the frequent use of the word 'no' eleven consecutive times."  
"NONONONONONONO NO!"  
"Have it your way, then. Once the test is over I'll put you in the room where all the robots scream at you. For no reason." Hmm... Like I care. I'm easily distracted anyway.

I blackout; the only noise I can hear is a high-pitched scream which brakes and becomes auto-tuned beyond recognition. It's not GLaDOS though- it's me.


	7. 7- The Corruption

Chapter 7- I think...

I regain consciousness with increasing agony. Hang on- what did I just say? And when did I use fancy words like those? Okaaay- quick body check. Fingers, hands- limbs. Limbs. Limbs. None of those work! _Ohnonononono_. I slowly open my eye and try to look around. White panels, God that's even worse. So, I'm trapped and I have no limbs. Swiveling seems to be alright though. And my back seems inverted and triple-jointed. That's unaccustomed. Apparently so is the fact that I am now a thesaurus (metaphorically) and I keep using long words that I haven't even heard before. Amazing.

I look down.

No legs. No-n-no l-legs. I-I'm-

I look up.

-a-attached to the ceiling. And I'm not breathing. Oh my god. What is WRONG with me? Please don't say I'm GLaDOS. Please don't say I'm GLaDOS!

"Good. You're awake. Finally." I am NOT GLaDOS, then. That's a relief. But I appear to have a mainframe, though and now that I think that- _IAMAROBOTWHATTHEHECKSHOULDIDOHOWDIDIGETHERE_! It feels to me like GLaDOS' body, the way it hangs. And my faceplate. Although I can, however have a bloody panic attack in this piece of scrap metal, much like the one I'm having now. I wonder what color my optic is... Can I turn the lights out? I open a file and type a command without a second thought, still worrying like mad. How do I know this stuff?

There is a bang.

The entire room goes dark apart from a dark hazel glow. Oh... Same is my eyes. That shows how creative She is. I spit out another command and the lights flash on, but my optic doesn't need to adjust. Wait- I'm a robot. So I can't poop. Or eat.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME? AND WHERE THE HECK IS MY BODY?" I scream. Oh boy: my voice sounds autotuned like Her. Because I am getting used to this thing, my panic attack slows down. I would hit Her, but I don't know where She is. Or how to travel. Or what I look like. Or have anything to hit her with. What a shame. I wanted to smack the color right out of her optic. And I will, as soon as I get into my own skin. I'm enjoying the thought, though.

"Number one, the exact information is classified and I cannot tell you due to certain testing protocol, but you are inside a computer," no **** Sherlock, "and you have a small influence on the facility," So can I blow it up and retrieve my body? "but not enough to blow up any laboratories. Number two," I cannot believe she said number two! "your body has been locked up in cryogenic storage so it does not decay in any way; shape or form. I don't particularly understand why you'd want such a long body back, but we both know that I can't influence your opinion. Mainly because you do not listen to me."

"What was that, GLaDOS?" I say, as seriously as I can, trying so hard not to laugh. She will hurt me as soon as she can, but honestly, that was worth it.

A not-so-genius idea pops into my head. Prunes. Yes, prunes. I've though of an AMAZING prank to any Test Subject that wanders in here. I'll PRUNE them! I'll- I'll wait until they come here, and use the maintenance claws to drop prunes into their jumpsuits! I think I'll have some fun as an experiment. An annoying male voice starts talking in the back of my head.

"Entity_Lunatic corruption at 20%." What. Entity_Lunatic. Really, that's what GLaDOS has saved me as. I mean, I know we both don't know my real name, but honestly? That sounds like an error. Out of a crash report. For a VIDEOGAME. And I don't feel corrupt. I don't know what 'corrupt' feels like. Anyway, back to the genius prank.

"Hey, GLaDOS, when is the next test?" I excitedly ask.

"I see you are eager to test already. At least one trait I programmed you with is working."

"When?" I'm choosing to ignore the fact that She tried to modify who I was.

"Now. I am waking up a new test subject. Although I have restricted you from many, many things, you have been granted access to Test Chamber Security Cameras. I'll show you." By the tone in Her voice I can tell She still feels bitter towards me. A large screen barges through the panels with an image of a girl in a Relaxation Vault. (Vault, not Chamber. The vault is in the test chamber. The Relaxation Chamber is where I woke up.) She is wearing the same things I wore, and her skin is coffee-colored. Her brown hair gently lays above her eyes in a neat fringe and sweeps down to her waist. She looks so- peaceful. I feel sorry for her. She will have to survive GLaDOS' bitterness, deadly tests and being filled with bullets- on a GOOD day. I can't take it.

I have to be a part of these death-traps. I can't take it.

The girl slowly opens her green eyes and looks around, taking in her crazy surroundings. Hey, can I look at something else? I don't want to see her die. I scroll through the script that GLaDOS must read to every person. Wait- these aren't fast instructions for Test Chamber 8, this is a quote from Moby Dick. And methodically knocking people's hats off- then, I account it high time to get to the sea as soon as I can. Hey, you know what is funny? The fact that is is called Moby Dick.

"Entity-Lunatic corruption at 50%"

SHUT UP. I'm NOT HAPPY, mate. You are annoying. And mean. And pessimistic. Have you heard of good news? Try giving me that next time. It's a shame that you are automated. I'd prune you.

Ha.

Ha-dy ha ha ha.

Ha ha.

"Entity-Lunatic corruption at 100%"

I howl so loud my sound processors are overloading. My body is swinging from side to side with anger because of what I remember.

Dream girl.

She has a file.

So, it wasn't a dream.

But it says she died when she was released outside.

The panels around me begin to split. They shatter, raining down and exploding into little shards when in contact with the floor. I would have preferred the neurotoxin to the feeling I am experiencing now.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Heya! This is the longest chapter so far- 1k+ words! Yaay! I think next chapter I'll introduce an old character... Oh, and GLaDOS actually quotes Moby Dick in the game- Fun Fact. :) That's all I want to say... :3 Oh, and I apologise for the lack of updates. This story is actually quite popular. Anyway, until next time!**


	8. The Robots Again

A dangerous mute lunatic. That's what She called me. Then she let me go.  
It's been almost a year since then. I think. It has almost been a year since I found here is what I was supposed to say: I lost track of the days it took me to find the nearest city, but I when I did, it was hard to fit in. I had nothing except scars that wound me. Scars that are so deep they will never heal. I had to find a job and I realised that life has more challenges then She had to offer: I had no degrees, no food, no clothes and was not used to sudden changes in temperature. I was starting from scratch, and after all those years in there, I needed to stretch out my vocal chords.  
Just for the record, yes, I can speak. People never understand that I was so frustrated with the situation that I never wanted to talk to Her. Or anyone in that place. idiot who tried to kill me.

Oh boy, I think I'm turning into Her.

I look over to my first friend, the Aperture Science Weighted Companion Cube. I'd cleaned it off, the black burns and ashes no more, and it just sits in the corner of the small apartment to be used for whatever I need it to be. If I needed a table, that's what I'd use it as. If I needed to reach a tall shelf, I'd use it as a stool. It was always there when I needed help; the lack of furniture guaranteed it.

There is a knock at the door. I don't have many visitors nowadays, so this comes as a shock. Dust lines the oak door, in addition to the rust that smothers the handle. I slowly walk towards the door, taking careful steps to avoid tripping on my Long Fall boots near the cracked grey wall. Not the prettiest of rooms, but hey, it's the cheapest so I'll give it that.  
My warm smile fades into a look of sheer horror when I see things that She made. P-Body and Atlas stand in the hallway, their optics giving off a look of regret. How did they get here without being noticed? Why are they here? They grip onto my arms and lead me through the lobby into fresh air. How can NOBODY see them? I try to fight them, but I can't get out of their grip. I strain to keep quiet, yet I want to make as much noise as possible, but I stay silent, keeping my many thoughts unspoken.  
She is evil.  
She will test me until I fall apart; until every bone has been crushed; until blood seeps out of my arms; until I am gone and my eyes freeze open.

The city fades away with every step They take.

The cold country. No. Please. If this is a dream then wake up. Now. Please. PLEASE.

The empty, seemingly endless field. We are- this is not a dream, is it? This is real. This is the part where She kills me.

The dirty, wrecked shack. DON'TTAKEMEANYCLOSERTOHERYOUMORONS! Let me go! I have a LIFE. Not the best one but it is still a LIFE.

And Her.


End file.
